1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a television picture control system which, through a remote-control, generates signals for the instantaneous blanking and/or blurring of the video signal, while leaving the audio signal active.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a prior art system for controlling a television (TV) picture. A TV set 1 and a TV remote-control 2 are remotely connected to one another via wireless communication, for example, by infrared signals. The remote-control 2 has a "standard" input 3 for receiving input commands for controlling various standard television functions. Such a standard input 3 usually includes remote-control keys and a matrix enabling structure. The actuation of each remote-control key short-circuits one of the crossings of this matrix. In this way, standard signals a3, whose frequency or digital code serves to control the TV set, are produced. The "standard" signals include signals normally provided by commercially available TV sets, i.e., signals for controlling the volume, brightness, contrast and color saturation adjustment, for finding programs and/or TV stations, for switching on and off the TV set, for "muting" the sound, etc. The remote-control 2 also has a remote-control processing unit 4 for receiving the standard signals a3 produced by standard input 3. A transducer 5 receives the signals a4 from the remote-control processing unit 4 and outputs them to the TV set 1. Correspondingly, the TV set 1 has a receiving transducer 6 for receiving the signals from the transmission transducer 5. The TV set also has a remote-control signal-amplifying circuit 7 for receiving signals a6 from the receiving transducer 6. A signal-decoding processing unit 8 receives the signals a7 from the remote-control signal-amplifying circuit 7, and processes and routes them inside the TV set 1 according to their functions. The processing unit 8 is equipped with a plurality of standard outputs a8. These outputs can be activated in accordance with standard signals a3 emitted by the standard signal input means 3. The TV set 1 also has a luminance/chrominance circuit not shown in the figure.
The prior art embodiment, however, allows television pictures of a violent or otherwise undesirable nature to be viewed by children or others who are often unconscious viewers of scenes unsuitable and dangerous to them. Therefore, there is a need for a device which would permit the instantaneous blanking of these undesired video signals while leaving the audio signal active the listening of it can be helpful to the subsequent restoring of the video function, as well as for other purposes later described.